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Another feature available with the appropriate maps is the ability to navigate to a Point of Interest. Garmin’s GB Discover maps contain a POI database, depending on the specific map. So you can find nearby restaurants, shops, and other facilities, although you aren’t given the option to search near another location.

There’s also a route planner that enables you to put together multiple waypoints, which will be particularly useful when planning a hiking trip intended to take in specific sightseeing spots. There’s a wireless link, too, so you can send and receive waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches between the Dakota and similarly equipped Garmin Oregon and Colorado devices. However, as the Dakota doesn’t have a picture viewer it can’t navigate to geotagged images.

Most of the software widgets available in the Oregon are still available. There’s an applet telling you when the sun and moon rise and set on a particular day, and the best times for hunting and fishing based on animal feeding periods. The Trip Computer includes useful information such as average speed for your journey and distance travelled.

There’s a calculator, a stopwatch, and even an alarm clock. The area calculator prompts you to walk round the perimeter of a space, and then works out how large it is. If you’re on a boat and someone falls out, you can quickly call up the Dakota 20’s Man Overboard function. This marks the current location then immediately tries to navigate you back towards it. However, the 3D view found in the 550t is absent.

Also absent is the ability to install and play Whereigo software cartridges, so the Dakota isn’t quite as ready for alternate reality gaming. But you can download Geocaches and set these as destinations, making this GPS-powered hunt for hidden stashes an option.